The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) has set up solar lighting systems and charging stations in areas of the Caraga Region that experienced power outages due to Typhoon Odette, the agency said on Tuesday, Jan. 18.
A total of 59 solar lighting systems have been installed in the Caraga Region, of which, five were installed in Surigao City and Surigao Del Norte; 27 in Siargao Islands; and 27 in Dinagat Islands.
These solar lighting systems were installed by TESDA Caraga with the help of their buddy regions, the National Capital Region (NCR) and Regions III, XI, and XII. The “buddy system” is being implemented by TESDA Central Office to ensure a smooth and faster provision of assistance and skills training to “Odette”-hit areas.
Also, TESDA Caraga, together with the augmentation team from Region III, conducted a community-based training on Solar Concept and Installation at Consuelo, Dapa, Surigao del Norte last January 12 where a total of 18 families attended the training.
Meanwhile, other interventions are still ongoing not just in the Caraga Region but also in other regions which were devastated by Typhoon Odette. TESDA Secretary Isidro Lapeña shared that TESDA field offices are currently laying the groundwork to conduct massive training-cum-production on construction-related courses which will help the affected residents rebuild their destroyed houses and other infrastructure in their community.
These construction-related training courses include Masonry, Tile Setting, Electrical Installation, Painting, Shielded Metal Arc Welding, Plumbing, Carpentry, and also Photovoltaic Systems Installation.
Other TESDA units have started the conduct of community-based training in Electrical Installation and even hollow-blocks making. Training in Cookery and bread-making will also be offered.
Lapeña also noted that after their recovery, the affected residents can also use what they have learned from these training sessions to generate their own income through business or employment.
"In the spirit of Bayanihan, and with TESDA's mandate and guiding principle ‘TESDA Abot Lahat’, we will always be ready to provide relief and rehabilitation programs for our disaster-affected kababayans so they can immediately recover from the crisis," he said.